27 July 2018

Most borrowed authors and books in UK libraries

The latest annual data released today shows the most borrowed authors and books in UK public libraries during 2016-17

James Patterson prevails as king of UK libraries  - For the eleventh consecutive year prolific US thriller writer James Patterson was the most borrowed author from UK libraries... (click here to read more)

What’s happening in your local library? – Fascinating regional variations in borrowing data... (click here to read more)

Further information on the nation’s book borrowing tastes can be found in the Media Centre area of our website.

Due to ongoing development work on the PLR system, these 2016-17 releases had been deferred from the usual February publication date. The later publication of these releases has had no impact on the calculation and distribution of payments for these PLR loans which were made in February 2018.

---

28 June 2018

Update on contacting PLR via the telephone

Apologies for anyone trying to contact PLR via the Stockton-on Tees number 01642 604699. 

As previously reported in our updates as part of the PLR review, the PLR Operation will transfer to the British Library Boston Spa site. We are now in the position to take calls there and the new contact number 01937 546030.  A redirection has been put in place on the Stockton number, but there appears to be some problems with this, at the moment so please call the new number where we will be happy to answer your query. 

We are in the process of updating our websites and forms, but our contact details at Boston Spa can be found here

Please note that there is also a redirection set up for any post that is sent to the Stockton-On-Tees address, and we are currently in the process of dealing with your registrations.

22 June 2018

All Parliamentary Writers Group launches Inquiry into Authors' earnings

The All Party Parliamentary Writers Group has launched an inquiry into authors’ earnings with the aim of identifying what environment writers need to enable them to flourish in the future. The APPWG would like to hear from writers of all kinds as well as from all organisations involved in the industry.

Further information can be found here

11 June 2018

Advisory Committee for PLR - new member

We are pleased to announce that Alexis Deacon has been appointed to the British Library Advisory Committee for Public Lending Right.  Alexis is a writer and illustrator and his book Beegu was a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.  He recently contributed to a PLR video on the importance of registering for PLR.

The Advisory Committee was established to provide expert advice to the British Library on the operation of the UK PLR Scheme and to represent the views of PLR stakeholders. The Committee is made up of a Chair and six members: two members representing registered authors, two representing the public library community and two from the wider PLR constituency.

---

7th June 2018

Update on remote ebook lending and UK PLR

Great News!

PLR is pleased to announce that following the three week consultation run by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), for proposed technical amendments to the UK Public Lending Right (PLR) Scheme, the scheme changes have been approved and laid before Parliament. As a result from 1 July 2018 remote loans of ebooks and e-audio-books from public libraries will be collected and the first PLR payments will be made in February 2020.

Further details can be found here 

---

15 May 2018

Registration reminder for UK and Irish PLR schemes

Online applications must be submitted by midnight on Saturday 30 June 2018 to be included in the year end calculations. Postal applications must also be received by no later than Friday 29 June 2018.

You can apply to register your published titles online or via an application form. Alternatively you can request a form to be posted to you.

---

8 May 2018

Remote ebook lending and UK PLR

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is currently running a three week consultation to seek views on proposed technical amendments to the UK Public Lending Right (PLR) Scheme.  This includes the proposal to extend UK PLR from 1 July 2018 to include remote loans of ebooks and eaudio-books from public libraries. (The consultation closes at 5.00pm on Thursday 24 May 2018.)

If the Scheme is successfully extended from 1 July 2018 then remote ebook loans will be collected from this date and the first payments arising from the newly eligible loans will be made in February 2020.

In the meantime, authors can continue to register ebooks for UK PLR but loans will not generate any PLR earnings yet.  Further information can be found under our FAQs on Registration of non-print material.

19 March 2018

Update on Public Lending Right (PLR) review

In December 2017 Andy Appleyard, Head of Operations North at the British Library, provided an update on the PLR review in which he wrote:

The plan is to transfer operations from Stockton-on-Tees to Boston Spa gradually over two years, completing by March 2020. The first phase of the migration strategy is to recruit a shadow PLR team by January 2018. The new team will work in parallel with their Stockton colleagues until the operation fully migrates to Boston Spa.

This shadow team is now in place and valuable training is being provided by the existing team.  You may have already started to see new names on correspondence from PLR, or heard new voices when you contact PLR via the telephone.

The new PLR Operations Team is as follows:

Kate Ebdon - Head of PLR Operations
Janis Black - PLR Operations and Marketing Manager
Emma Clayford-Rowe - PLR Operations Team Member
Joy Hatton - PLR Operations Team Member
Joanne Hawkins - PLR Operations Team Member
Ronni Reagan - PLR Operations Team Member

It is the intention of the new team to maintain the high standard of service that you have come to expect from the existing PLR team. They look forward to assisting you with any PLR queries you may have.

14 March 2018

Advisory Committee for Public Lending Right - vacancy for appointed member

The British Library Advisory Committee for Public Lending Right was established to provide expert advice to the Library on the operation of the UK PLR Scheme and to represent the views of PLR stakeholders. The Committee is made up of a Chair and six members: two members representing registered authors, two representing the public library community and two from the wider PLR constituency (book trade, writing, publishing, authors’ agents, copyright and intellectual property etc).

We are currently seeking applicants for one of the appointed members roles representing the wider PLR constituency.

Further information on the Committee and the vacancy can be found here.  (The deadline for applications is Tuesday 10 April 2018.)

12 March 2018

Authors' incomes: top tips

Authors and experts share their advice for establishing and maintaining your income as an author